The Portland daily press., 1887-09-06
DOCTORS AT WASHINGTON.
Five Thousand Physicians at the
International Congress.

WASHINGTON, Sept. Din round numbers
1t is estimated that the invading army of
doctors in this city today delegated to the
International Convention now contains
about 5000 The individual work of regis
tration is still in progress. OF these nine
tenths are American.
President Cleveland, Secretary Bayard
and Speaker Carlisle were escorted to seats
upon the stage Of Albaugh's Opera House at
II o'clock and were greeted with applause.
The assembly was called to order by Pref.
Henry M. Smith Of Philadelphia, chairman
of the executive committee. President
Cleveland opened the congress in briei
speech In which he said;
feel that the country should be congratulated
today upon the presence at our capital OF 50
many Of our own citizens and those representing
foreign countries. who have distinguishing them
voted to its further progress. My duty on this
occasion Is very pleasing and very brief one. IL
Is simply to declare that the ninth International
Medical Congress Is now open.
Mr. Nathan Smith Davis Of Chicago was
elected president of the Congress. DIR. John
B. Hamilton, Supervising Surgeon General
of the United States Marine Hospital Ser
vice, was chosen sccretary-general OF the
Congress. Secretary Of State Bayard deliy-
cred the address OF welcome. He said,
among other things
The world is becoming better acquainted. Soc
ial assimilation has progressed. Small provinces
ana minor Kingdoms are federaiZing into great
empires, international intimacy suffers less OBJ
struction. The broad and powerful current 0i
literature is silently wearing away the banks Of
geographical prejudice and spite. A commen
brotherhood OF mutuality and interdependence Is
expanding itself irresistably over barriers ol
mountain and sea, and these new and beneficent
conditions give promise what the word "strang
er" shall soon be obiterated from the voeabu-
larry OF civilization.
Responses were made by Inspector Gen
eral W. III. Lloyd, r. n, for Great Britain
and Ireland; DIR. Leon Lefort of Paris, for
France; DR.. r. G. Unna of Hamburg, for
Germany; Senator nj. Semmola Of Naples,
for Italy, and DR.. c. r. Eyher of st. Pettrs-
burg, for Russia
President Davis delivered the opening ad-
dress. He eulogized the late Prof. Austin
Flint of New York, thanked the Congress
for the honor conferred in making him its
president and cordially welcomed the for
eign representatives. He spoke of the ad-
vance made by the science of medicine
which, he declared. has become a vast ag-
gregation of observed facts, many so re-
lated as to permit of practical deductions of
permanent value. while many remain iso-
lated through incompleteness of investiga-
ti0ns and are, therefore, liable to prompt,
hasty, or even erroneous, conclusions.
A vote Of thanks was given President
Davis, and the Congress adjourned till 1c
o'clock tomorrow.
Some days ago the committee invited DR.
Francisco Durante of Rome, to answer in
the name of Italy to the welcoming address
Later, when Senator Semmola arrived, he
claimed the right to make the response. rep
resenting the government of Italy, and the
committee felt constrained to make the
change, and notified Prof. Durante. This
gentleman was much offended and has with.
drawn from the Congress. He claims that
he, and not Senator Semmola, is the repre-.
sentative of the Italian government.
The different sections were then organized
and many valuable papers read. In the
evening there was conversations in the
pension office ball, attended by several thou
sand people.